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More Sustainable and Equitable Future Through AI
22Apr

More Sustainable and Equitable Future Through AI

Salesforce has unveiled a series of initiatives aimed at fostering a more sustainable and equitable future through AI. The company has introduced its Sustainable AI Policy Principles, a framework designed to guide AI regulation with a focus on minimizing environmental impact and promoting climate innovation. Additionally, Salesforce has selected five new nonprofits for its Salesforce Accelerator – AI for Impact, which targets climate action. This initiative will enable these purpose-driven organizations to harness AI solutions to tackle the pressing challenges of climate change. Why It Matters Prioritizing responsible AI development is crucial for leveraging technology to make a positive impact while ensuring that equity and sustainability remain central. Salesforce Sustainable AI Policy PrinciplesRead Them Here Key Aspects of the Principles The Sustainable AI Policy Principles extend Salesforce’s commitment to advocating for science-based policies that support a just and equitable transition to a 1.5-degree future. These principles offer best practices for lawmakers and regulators on: Salesforce is also the first tech company to support the Transformational AI to Modernize the Economy (TAME) legislation, which aims to enhance AI’s role in predicting and responding to extreme weather events. The AI for Impact Accelerator The AI for Impact cohort will support climate-focused nonprofits with technology, investments, and philanthropy to develop AI solutions that benefit the environment. Alongside product donations and $2 million in funding, these organizations will work on AI-powered initiatives in three crucial areas: Participants will also receive a year of pro bono consulting from Salesforce experts in strategy, planning, responsible AI use, data strategy, and technical architecture. Accelerator Participants Include: Moving Forward Suzanne DiBianca, EVP and Chief Impact Officer at Salesforce, emphasizes the importance of developing equitable and sustainable AI technology. “With AI transforming our lives and work, it is vital to ensure the technology is developed responsibly. We are excited to support climate nonprofits committed to sustainable AI innovation and advocate for clear policies that guide responsible AI development.” Quotes from Participants: Together, these efforts aim to accelerate the positive impact of technology, ensuring it benefits everyone and supports a sustainable future. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

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April 22, 2024in Salesforce
abc
22Apr

Definitive Salesforce Glossary of Acronyms

Once again our heroes at Salesforce Ben have put together a great and definitive salesforce glossary of acronyms and it is way too good not to share. Bookmark it. Keep it handy. And at least once you won’t have to ask that embarrassing question or Google an acronym to know what everyone is talking about. Starter Acronym Meaning Definition AKA Also Known As Due to name changes Salesforce has made to some products and also the slang/pet names the Salesforce community adorn certain functionality, these three letters have crept into our vocabulary. You will also often here a product referred to as XYZ formerly known as. BA Business Analyst Business Analysts are the people in your organization who are asking ‘why’ (why a process happens the way it does) to understand what the business needs from its technology. As an organization grows, it typically demands larger and more complex software solutions. That’s where BAs come in. BSS Business Support System “Solutions which streamline operations, reduce costs, and help businesses create more innovative products by centralizing customer data and automating processes.” (source) DF Dreamforce Dreamforce is Salesforce’s flagship conference – but a conference like no other! Tickets to this annual event are highly sought-after because of the learning and networking opportunities available to the 170,000+ attendees (not to mention the legendary parties, too!) FKA Formerly Known As Due to the name changes Salesforce has made to some products, these three letters have started to creep into our vocabulary to avoid confusion, bringing the person we’re speaking to along with us.READ MORE: Glossary of Salesforce Product Name Changes EE Enterprise Edition You will commonly hear these Salesforce editions: Professional, Enterprise, and Unlimited. Enterprise Edition (EE) is where most organizations opt to start from, where you gain access to the features that most organizations need. GA General Availability The release status where a feature has been formally released. This happens by its inclusion in a Salesforce release cycle (Spring, Summer, Winter). Support will be available as technical support teams have been briefed on the functionality. (It comes after the Pilot and Beta phases). IaaS Infrastructure as a Service “Self-service models for accessing, monitoring, and managing remote datacenter infrastructures, such as compute (virtualized or bare metal), storage, networking, and networking services (e.g. firewalls). Salesforce does not offer Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) services. It is a customer of them, primarily Amazon Web Services.” (source) KPI Key Performance Indicator “A Key Performance Indicator is a measurable value that demonstrates how effectively a company is achieving key business objectives.” (source)Admins play a key role in KPI tracking, tasked to build Salesforce dashboards that demonstrate business trends. LEX Lightning Experience Salesforce revamped the product interface around 2015 after having a relatively consistent look and feel for its 16 years in operation. Salesforce Lightning was designed to be a big improvement in user experience – to boost user productivity and make CRM a pleasure to use. Most organizations have now transitioned to Salesforce Lightning from Classic. LOB Line of Business Line of Business could often come up when planning Salesforce projects. For example, Sales, Marketing, etc. When it comes to packaging, you can either split by project (let’s say Quote to Cash broadly) or by LOB. PaaS Platform as a Service “A set of cloud-based services that enable business users and developers to build applications at speed…As it’s a cloud-based service there’s no need to worry about the set-up and maintenance of servers, patching, upgrades, authentication.” (source)Salesforce characteristics that make it PaaS include a Mobile Software Development Kit (SDK), managed cloud database, and point-and-click app building. PE Professional Edition You will commonly hear these Salesforce editions: Professional, Enterprise, and Unlimited. QA Quality Assurance QA is a stage of testing/test automation, which is essential to manage risk and deliver quality Salesforce releases on time. The quality of any Salesforce customizations is your responsibility – not Salesforce’s! QA teams will stress-test the system’s functionality and report any bugs that need to be resolved. ROI Return on Investment As the name suggests, this is the return (the revenue) that an organization has gained as a direct result of an investment (budget spent). This is heard in the Salesforce ecosystem in multiple contexts – it could be an investment into a new Salesforce product, enhancement project, or AppExchange app. It could be RevOps teams performing ROI reporting across their marketing and sales data. SaaS Software as a Service Salesforce set out to be SaaS through and through! A third-party provider, like Salesforce, hosts your CRM and related applications for your users to access over the internet. In the case of Salesforce, licenses to access the service are typically billed annually, with a contractual commitment of one to three years. That’s why SaaS was revolutionary in the beginning, as companies were no longer locked into one system, with the possibility to switch providers without investing in the IT infrastructure themselves! SDLC Software Development Lifecycle “A process that produces software with the highest quality and lowest cost in the shortest time possible.” (source)As Salesforce is a platform that businesses extend according to their evolving needs, you may hear this term! SFDC Salesforce dot com Salesforce pioneered cloud CRM, so it was always referred to as ‘Salesforce dot-com’ in the early days to emphasize its online accessibility and to distinguish itself from premise offerings. The acronym still sticks today, especially among serving community members. SLACK SearchableLog of All Communication and Knowledge This might seem like a strange entry on this list, but Salesforce’s workplace instant messaging/collaboration platform is, in fact, an acronym, standing for “Searchable Log of All Communication and Knowledge”. Yes, Slack is a real word you’ll find in the dictionary, often used in slang – to “slack off” or “cut me some slack”. Don’t you think these associations drum up collaborative, highly responsive, productive, happy teams? You’re right – it all sounds dull. SME Subject Matter Expert This is an individual with specialized knowledge in a specific area. In the Salesforce ecosystem, you will find

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April 22, 2024in Salesforce
Generative AI Prompts with Retrieval Augmented Generation
21Apr

Generative AI Prompts with Retrieval Augmented Generation

By now, you’ve likely experimented with generative AI language models (LLMs) such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Google’s Gemini to aid in composing emails or crafting social media content. Yet, achieving optimal results can be challenging—particularly if you haven’t mastered the art and science of formulating effective prompts. Generative AI Prompts with Retrieval Augmented Generation. The effectiveness of an AI model hinges on its training data. To excel, it requires precise context and substantial factual information, rather than generic details. This is where Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) comes into play, enabling you to seamlessly integrate your most current and pertinent proprietary data directly into your LLM prompt. Here’s a closer look at how RAG operates and the benefits it can offer your business. Generative AI Prompts with Retrieval Augmented Generation Why RAG Matters: An AI model’s efficacy is determined by the quality of its training data. For optimal performance, it needs specific context and substantial factual information, not just generic data. An off-the-shelf LLM lacks the real-time updates and trustworthy access to proprietary data essential for precise responses. RAG addresses this gap by embedding up-to-date and pertinent proprietary data directly into LLM prompts, enhancing response accuracy. How RAG Works: RAG leverages powerful semantic search technologies within Salesforce to retrieve relevant information from internal data sources like emails, documents, and customer records. This retrieved data is then fed into a generative AI model (such as CodeT5 or Einstein Language), which uses its language understanding capabilities to craft a tailored response based on the retrieved facts and the specific context of the user’s query or task. Case Study: Algo Communications In 2023, Canada-based Algo Communications faced the challenge of rapidly onboarding customer service representatives (CSRs) to support its growth. Seeking a robust solution, the company turned to generative AI, adopting an LLM enhanced with RAG for training CSRs to accurately respond to complex customer inquiries. Algo integrated extensive unstructured data, including chat logs and email history, into its vector database, enhancing the effectiveness of RAG. Within just two months of adopting RAG, Algo’s CSRs exhibited greater confidence and efficiency in addressing inquiries, resulting in a 67% faster resolution of cases. Key Benefits of RAG for Algo Communications: Efficiency Improvement: RAG enabled CSRs to complete cases more quickly, allowing them to address new inquiries at an accelerated pace. Enhanced Onboarding: RAG reduced onboarding time by half, facilitating Algo’s rapid growth trajectory. Brand Consistency: RAG empowered CSRs to maintain the company’s brand identity and ethos while providing AI-assisted responses. Human-Centric Customer Interactions: RAG freed up CSRs to focus on adding a human touch to customer interactions, improving overall service quality and customer satisfaction. Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) enhances the capabilities of generative AI models by integrating current and relevant proprietary data directly into LLM prompts, resulting in more accurate and tailored responses. This technology not only improves efficiency and onboarding but also enables organizations to maintain brand consistency and deliver exceptional customer experiences. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

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April 21, 2024in Generative AI, Salesforce
Harnessing Zero Copy Integration
21Apr

Harnessing Zero Copy Integration

Streamlining Data Management: Harnessing Zero Copy Integration for Efficient Customer Insights Zero copy integration offers a revolutionary approach to accessing and utilizing customer data without the need for burdensome data transfers. By seamlessly linking disparate databases, this innovative technique eliminates the complexities associated with moving, copying, or reformatting data. Let’s explore how zero copy integration can optimize data management processes and enhance the efficiency of customer data platforms (CDPs) alongside traditional data warehouses. Understanding Zero Copy Integration: Zero copy integration, also known as zero ETL (extract-transform-load), facilitates the sharing of data across multiple databases without physically relocating it. This method enables real-time access to data, significantly reducing costs and mitigating the risks of errors inherent in data movement processes. Unlike traditional data replication methods, zero copy integration ensures that data remains in its original location, eliminating the need for redundant storage and synchronization efforts. Good technology standards can actually bring order to the chaos and allow products from different companies to work together, fostering healthy competition and enhancing productivity. That is precisely what Zero-Copy Integration does. Zero-Copy Integration is a framework that eliminates the need for data copies and integration, making it easier to work with applications, analytics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. Canada’s Digital Governance Council recently announced that Zero-Copy Integration has been published for open access by the public, setting a new standard for data collaboration. Moreover, Zero-Copy Integration prioritizes data-centricity and active metadata over complex code and solution modularity over monolithic design. It also facilitates data governance through data products and federated stewardship, eliminating the need for centralized teams. In addition to boosting the development and deployment of new technologies, Zero-Copy Integration also addresses the growing number of data privacy regulations. By putting data at the center of the process, Zero-Copy Integration ensures greater collaboration and control, positively affecting industries like healthcare, research, banking, and public services. Benefits of Zero-Data Integration Proponents of zero-copy integration and dataware say the framework will lower data storage costs, improve performance of IT teams, improve privacy and security of data, and drive innovation in systems for public health, social research, open banking and sustainability through innovations in: Comparing Traditional vs. Zero Copy Integration: Aspect Traditional Zero Copy Replication Requires copying data to target Data remains in original location Updates Data accuracy dependent on synchronization Real-time access to data Cost Involves data movement expenses No additional data movement costs Regulatory Compliance Complex governance due to data duplication Simplified compliance with source data only Errors Data movement introduces potential errors Minimized risk of errors with no data movement Maintenance Increases complexity with copying and synchronization Streamlined management with no data relocation Implementing Zero Copy Integration: The implementation of zero copy integration varies depending on the platform and direction of data access. Let’s explore how it works in scenarios involving Salesforce Data Cloud and Snowflake data warehouse: Case Study: Buyers Edge’s Zero Copy Success Story: Buyers Edge, a procurement optimization company, leveraged zero copy integration to unify customer profiles in a CDP while accessing purchase data from their data warehouse. By seamlessly integrating Salesforce Data Cloud with their warehouse, Buyers Edge enhanced predictive modeling capabilities, resulting in tailored sales and marketing strategies. Zero copy integration revolutionizes data management practices by enabling seamless data access and eliminating the need for data duplication or relocation. As businesses navigate the evolving data landscape, leveraging zero copy integration can streamline operations, enhance insights, and empower organizations to unlock the full potential of their data assets. MILESTONES / TIMELINE Second half 2023 – Internationalization February 21, 2023 – Information Session (watch above ☝ or via YouTube) February 15, 2023 – ‘Zero-copy’ applications published by DCA February 08, 2023 – Published by Digital Governance Council (Press release) December 15, 2022 – Approved by Standards Council of Canada June-Nov 2022 – Public consultation period Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

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April 21, 2024in Salesforce, Salesforce Data Cloud, Salesforce Einstein, Snowflake
Summer 24 Release Updates
20Apr

Salesforce Maps Summer 24 Update

To improve scale and performance, Salesforce Maps is updating its mapping framework from raster to vector. This update also improves integrations with Esri data and includes a refined user experience.For Summer ’24, Sandbox and Production Orgs will remain on Raster maps by default. You can enable the new Vector maps experience by enabling the “Preview Enhanced User Experience” setting in Maps Permission Groups.It’s best to test vector maps in sandboxes or with a subset of users in production environments before the production-wide upgrade affects all users in a future major release. At that time, Salesforce Maps will retire its raster maps framework.Salesforce Maps Summer 24 Update How does the vector maps upgrade affect my Salesforce Maps implementation? Some Salesforce Maps customers who implemented custom code under a MapAnything statement of work can experience problems with those customizations. Those problems can require updates, such as references to new APIs. Updating custom code may also require you to migrate code to a screen flow or Lightning Web Component within Salesforce Maps as a custom action. Salesforce Maps Summer 24 Update Learn how sales mapping software can help you visualize data to fuel better decisions, streamline field operations, and optimize territories faster. Like1 Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

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April 20, 2024in Salesforce
Salesforce GovSlack
19Apr

Salesforce GovSlack

Salesforce GovSlack seamlessly integrates your team members, tools, and partners into a unified platform that adheres to critical government regulations for handling sensitive data. By breaking down communication barriers within and outside organizations, GovSlack empowers individuals to excel in their work. Salesforce GovSlack “Government agencies and their partners, colleagues, and contractors can now collaborate more swiftly and flexibly within a secure digital HQ. With all tools, workflows, and integrations centralized in Slack, institutions empower their personnel and elevate collaboration while upholding compliance standards.” Rob SeamanSVP Product, Enterprise, Slack For example, the Army Software Factory (Army SWF) adopts agile startup methods to enhance soldiers’ software development skills, deploying digital solutions to solve Army challenges. To achieve agile, effective collaboration, the Army SWF sought GovSlack, a flexible solution that promotes productivity and camaraderie while meeting stringent Department of Defense policies. “Similarly, Lockheed Martin, a global aerospace and security company, utilizes Slack to connect its extensive workforce across 400 facilities and 50 countries. With GovSlack, Lockheed Martin anticipates expanding its Slack usage for defense projects.” Tim LewisDirector of Digital Workplace Services, Lockheed Martin GovSlack will also feature a directory of certified applications, including security and compliance apps, categorized by certification level. This setup allows GovSlack users to seamlessly integrate applications aligned with their security needs, such as Okta and Box. “Slack and Box together enable secure communication and collaboration, simplifying internal information flow and enhancing citizen engagement.” Murtaza MasoodManaging Director, State and Local Government, Box GovSlack ensures secure collaboration tailored for government operations, promoting flexibility and productivity while adhering to key government regulations for data processing and storage. By centralizing tools and teams in a secure, compliant platform, GovSlack empowers public sector organizations to meet evolving challenges and deliver exceptional services to the constituents they serve. It’s not that email is broken—it’s limited Even though landlines still work, we prefer to do everything on our smart devices. It’s not surprising. Better technology allows us to move faster, accomplish more and connect more easily. That’s exactly what Slack provides, while the inbox remains stuck in a cycle of refresh and reply. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

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April 19, 2024in Salesforce, Salesforce Public Sector Solutions, Salesforce Slack
Einstein Prediction Builder
19Apr

Einstein Prediction Builder

Einstein Prediction Builder, a sophisticated yet user-friendly tool from Salesforce Einstein, empowers users to generate predictions effortlessly, without requiring machine learning expertise or coding skills. This capability enables businesses to augment their operations with foresight-driven insights. As of the Spring ’20 release, all Enterprise Edition and above orgs can build one free prediction with Einstein Prediction Builder. Consider the potential business outcomes unlocked by leveraging Einstein Prediction Builder. Let’s delve into a hypothetical scenario: Meet Mr. Claus, the owner of ‘North Claus,’ a business that began as a modest family venture but gradually expanded its footprint. As ‘North Claus’ burgeoned across 10 countries, Mr. Claus recognized the need for Business Intelligence (BI) to navigate market dynamics effectively. BI entails gathering insights to forecast and comprehend market shifts—an imperative echoed by Jack Ma’s famous adage, “Adopt and change before any major trends and changes.” Intrigued by the prospect of BI, especially amidst the disruptive backdrop of Covid-19, Mr. Claus embarked on a journey to implement it in his company. The Formation of Business Intelligence: In today’s digital landscape, businesses amass vast amounts of data from diverse sources such as sales, customer interactions, and website traffic. This data serves as the bedrock for deriving actionable insights, enabling organizations to formulate forward-looking strategies. However, developing robust BI capabilities poses several challenges: Mr. Claus grappled with these challenges as he endeavored to develop BI independently. Recognizing the complexity involved, he turned to Salesforce, particularly intrigued by Einstein Prediction Builder. Einstein Prediction Builder Trailhead Understanding Einstein Prediction Builder: Einstein Prediction Builder, available in various Salesforce editions, leverages checkbox and formula fields to generate predictions. Before utilizing Prediction Builder, certain prerequisites must be met: Creating Einstein Predictions: To initiate the creation of Einstein Predictions, users navigate to Setup and access the Einstein Prediction Builder. The guided Setup simplifies the process, guiding users through relevant data inputs at each step. Once configured, predictions can be enabled, disabled, or cloned as needed. Key Features and Applications: Einstein Predictions integrate seamlessly with Salesforce Lightning, providing predictive insights directly on record pages. These predictions offer invaluable guidance on various aspects, such as sales opportunities and payment delays. Additionally, Prediction Builder facilitates packaging of predictions for seamless deployment across orgs and supports integration with external platforms like Tableau. Prediction Builder equips businesses with the intelligence needed to anticipate market trends, optimize workflows, and enhance customer interactions. As Mr. Claus discovered, embracing predictive analytics can revolutionize decision-making and drive sustainable growth. Like1 Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

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April 19, 2024in Einstein Insights, Salesforce, Salesforce Einstein
CPQ Called in Salesforce
18Apr

Expand the Salesforce CPQ Toolbox

Dealing with highly configurable products poses challenges in the sales process for both buyers and sellers, particularly evident in industries like medical devices or manufacturing equipment. Custom products lack visualization, adjustable pricing complicates financial reporting, and complex billing requirements may discourage customers. Now is the time to Expand the Salesforce CPQ Toolbox. Even with exceptional sales representatives, the failure to provide product information quickly and accurately can result in the loss of leads and longstanding customers. Amid the industry’s abrupt shift due to the Covid-19 pandemic, some companies have successfully navigated hurdles by adopting new and innovative digital sales platforms, as indicated by McKinsey survey results. Salesforce Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ) appears well-suited for the remote sales era, making the B2B sales experience immediate and immersive. Integration with various platforms can further simplify the process and enhance customer relationships and financial visibility. Visual Configurators Augmented Reality Automated Billing Accounting Platform Integration Leveraging CPQ and integrating with these platforms can transform the sales process, providing accurate product visuals, immediate quoting, and streamlined billing systems, meeting customer expectations in an evolving market. Contact Tectonic today to explore CPQ, Salesforce Revenue Cloud, and product configuration tools. Like2 Related Posts Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more 50 Advantages of Salesforce Sales Cloud According to the Salesforce 2017 State of Service report, 85% of executives with service oversight identify customer service as a Read more Salesforce Government Cloud: Ensuring Compliance and Security Salesforce Government Cloud public sector solutions offer dedicated instances known as Government Cloud Plus and Government Cloud Plus – Defense. Read more PII Explained Personal Identifiable Information (PII) is defined as: Any representation of information that permits the identity of an individual to whom Read more

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April 18, 2024in Salesforce CPQ, Salesforce Health and Life Sciences Solutions, Salesforce Manufacturing Automotive Energy
Who Calls AI Ethical
18Apr

Who Calls AI Ethical

Background – Who Calls AI Ethical On March 13, 2024, the European Union (EU) enacted the EU AI Act, a move that some argue has hindered its position in the global AI race. This legislation aims to ‘unify’ the development and implementation of AI within the EU, but it is seen as more restrictive than progressive. Rather than fostering innovation, the act focuses on governance, which may not be sufficient for maintaining a competitive edge. The EU AI Act embodies the EU’s stance on Ethical AI, a concept that has been met with skepticism. Critics argue that Ethical AI is often misinterpreted and, at worst, a monetizable construct. In contrast, Responsible AI, which emphasizes ensuring products perform as intended without causing harm, is seen as a more practical approach. This involves methodologies such as red-teaming and penetration testing to stress-test products. This critique of Ethical AI forms the basis of this insight,and Eric Sandosham article here. The EU AI Act To understand the implications of the EU AI Act, it is essential to summarize its key components and address the broader issues with the concept of Ethical AI. The EU defines AI as “a machine-based system designed to operate with varying levels of autonomy and that may exhibit adaptiveness after deployment. It infers from the input it receives to generate outputs such as predictions, content, recommendations, or decisions that can influence physical or virtual environments.” Based on this definition, the EU AI Act can be summarized into several key points: Fear of AI The EU AI Act appears to be driven by concerns about AI being weaponized or becoming uncontrollable. Questions arise about whether the act aims to prevent job disruptions or protect against potential risks. However, AI is essentially automating and enhancing tasks that humans already perform, such as social scoring, predictive policing, and background checks. AI’s implementation is more consistent, reliable, and faster than human efforts. Existing regulations already cover vehicular safety, healthcare safety, and infrastructure safety, raising the question of why AI-specific regulations are necessary. AI solutions automate decision-making, but the parameters and outcomes are still human-designed. The fear of AI becoming uncontrollable lacks evidence, and the path to artificial general intelligence (AGI) remains distant. Ethical AI as a Red Herring In AI research and development, the terms Ethical AI and Responsible AI are often used interchangeably, but they are distinct. Ethics involve systematized rules of right and wrong, often with legal implications. Morality is informed by cultural and religious beliefs, while responsibility is about accountability and obligation. These constructs are continuously evolving, and so must the ethics and rights related to technology and AI. Promoting AI development and broad adoption can naturally improve governance through market forces, transparency, and competition. Profit-driven organizations are incentivized to enhance AI’s positive utility. The focus should be on defining responsible use of AI, especially for non-profit and government agencies. Towards Responsible AI Responsible AI emphasizes accountability and obligation. It involves defining safeguards against misuse rather than prohibiting use cases out of fear. This aligns with responsible product development, where existing legal frameworks ensure products work as intended and minimize misuse risks. AI can improve processes such as recruitment by reducing errors compared to human solutions. AI’s role is to make distinctions based on data attributes, striving for accuracy. The concern is erroneous discrimination, which can be mitigated through rigorous testing for bias as part of product quality assurance. Conclusion The EU AI Act is unlikely to become a global standard. It may slow AI research, development, and implementation within the EU, hindering AI adoption in the region and causing long-term harm. Humanity has an obligation to push the boundaries of AI innovation. As a species facing eventual extinction from various potential threats, AI could represent a means of survival and advancement beyond our biological limitations. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

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April 18, 2024in Salesforce
Salesforce Slack and AI
18Apr

Salesforce Slack and AI

Salesforce, the customer relationship management software giant, has announced the availability of Slack AI to all paid Slack customers with expanded language support. Slack AI utilizes a company’s conversational data to assist end users and employees in quickly grasping processes and communications. It generates summaries and introduces new search capabilities based on the client company’s conversations. Slack, a workplace messaging and productivity app, was acquired by Salesforce for approximately $28 billion in 2021. It competes directly with Microsoft’s Teams and Google Chat. The Slack AI add-on is now available for all paid Slack plans (Pro and Business+) at $10 per user per month. It supports English, Spanish, and Japanese languages initially, with more languages coming soon. This development allows businesses of all sizes to leverage an intuitive AI experience seamlessly integrated with Slack, enhancing productivity within the platform. Previously, Slack AI was accessible only to large enterprises paying for Slack. The latest features of Slack AI include a recap feature providing daily morning digests with channel summaries, personalized search answers, and conversation summaries. According to internal analysis, customers using Slack AI in pilot programs are saving an average of 97 minutes per user each week by leveraging AI to find answers, distill knowledge, and generate ideas. One of Slack’s customers, Beyond Better Foods, a healthy dessert brand, uses Slack AI extensively for logistics planning. Their operations team benefits from enhanced search capabilities and channel recaps, saving time and improving focus. Andy Kung, Vice President of Operations at Beyond Better Foods, shared his experience: “When I need to get my CEO a fast answer at 2 pm on a Friday, I can use Slack AI’s search function. I’ve only been using Slack AI for about a month, but it’s already helped me quickly find answers countless times, and AI is saving me at least 30 minutes a day.” This announcement marks a significant step in making Slack AI accessible to a broader range of businesses, empowering them to work smarter and more efficiently within the Slack platform. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

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April 18, 2024in Salesforce, Salesforce Slack
Summer 24 Release Updates
18Apr

Summer 24 Release Flow Enhancements

Summer ’24 is approaching fast! Discover the latest enhancements in Flow Builder, such as the Automation App, Action Button (beta), and more. Dive into Be Release Ready for additional resources to help you prepare for Summer ’24. Curious to see these features in action? Join Salesforce product manager Sam Reynard and me as we showcase some of these capabilities live on the May 30 episode of “Automate This!” Summer 24 Release Flow Enhancements Screen Flows Summer ’24 introduces significant advancements in screen flow functionality, including the general availability (GA) of the Repeater component and the new Action Button, enabling dynamic and responsive screens. Create Multiple Records with Repeaters (GA) One of the most anticipated screen flow features is now generally available! With Repeaters, you can effortlessly create multiple records on a single screen. For instance, use a Repeater component to gather information about beneficiaries on an insurance policy. Users can add as many beneficiaries as needed during the flow execution. The Repeater component now supports most standard GA screen components as child components. Additionally, Repeaters offer features like conditional field visibility, input validation, and help text, providing enhanced flexibility and usability. Amplify Reactive Screens with Action Buttons (beta) Integrate an Action Button component into your screen to execute an autolaunched flow, fetching and making data available for other screen components. This empowers you to create truly dynamic single-page applications. The Action Button enables various use cases, such as generating data tables based on selected parent records, retrieving external data for user selection, creating dependent picklist fields, or summarizing record selections. Set Conditional Disabled and Read-Only States Conditionally disable or set components to read-only mode to protect users from interacting with specific fields based on business logic. This feature enhances form usability and ensures data integrity by preventing unwanted modifications. Address Component Improvements Enhancements to the Address component include Google Address Lookup, reactive options for field requirements and disabling, and proper support for State and Country picklists. Reactivity Improvements Reactive components like Collection Choice Sets and Display Text now offer enhanced capabilities, improving the responsiveness and usability of screen flows. Flow Builder Enhancements Transform Element (GA) Seamlessly map and optimize data with the Transform element, replacing loops and optimizing flow performance significantly. Update Existing Records with Matching Criteria When creating records, specify matching criteria to update existing records instead of creating duplicates, improving data quality. Is Blank and Is Empty Operators Easily check for Null or Empty values with the new Is Blank and Is Empty operators, simplifying logic and improving flow readability. Flow Management Automation App Manage flows efficiently through a dedicated Lightning app, offering advanced filtering, searching, and list view creation capabilities. Actions Enhancements include default values and placeholder text for Invocable Actions, and the new Lock/Unlock Record action. Improved User Experience Actions and Subflow configuration now reside in a side panel, featuring UX improvements like displaying full Apex class names. Schedule-Triggered Flows Debug scheduled flows with specific records, enhancing debugging capabilities and flexibility. Flow Orchestration Pause, resume, and recover failed orchestration runs, and create orchestration run dashboards for better visibility and management. The Summer ’24 release brings a wealth of new features to Flow Builder, empowering admins and developers to create powerful, responsive, and dynamic experiences for users. Stay tuned for more insights on these enhancements in upcoming blog posts and webinars! Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

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April 18, 2024in Marketing Automation, Salesforce, Salesforce Optimization
Approvers and Approver Groups in Salesforce
17Apr

Approvers and Approver Groups in Salesforce

Approvers and Approver Groups in Salesforce. An approver in Salesforce CPQ Advanced Approvals is a user who receives approval request emails and can either approve or reject the request. An approver record can represent an individual user or a group of users. Utilizing approver groups (like Salesforce queues) is beneficial when you need to route approvals to all members of a specific team. REQUIRED Salesforce CPQ EDITIONSAvailable in: Salesforce CPQ Summer ‘16 and later with Advanced Approvals 3.1 and later For instance, you can create an approver group that includes all managers in the accounting department. This group can then be associated with an approval rule triggered by a quote with a net total of $750,000 or more. Consequently, each accounting manager will receive an email notification regarding the request. Assign Approvers Dynamically Based on Criteria You can specify an approver dynamically based on a formula or specific criteria. For instance, you might want the approver to be the regional manager associated with a sales rep’s opportunity. If the regional manager changes, the approval will automatically reference the new manager. To set up a dynamic approver: Add a custom formula field to your quote or opportunity that references the ID of the approver’s user record.Include this formula field in your approval rule setup.Delegate Approvers Delegated approvers are designated users who receive approval requests on behalf of another user for a predefined period, typically during the original approver’s absence. To delegate approvers: Specify the user to whom you want to delegate in the “Delegated Approver” field.Set the start and end dates for the delegation period.Ensure that delegated approvers have the necessary permissions and access to the approval objects page layout, including the ability to approve or reject requests. Approver Fields Depending on page layouts and field-level security settings, not all approver fields may be visible or editable. Delegated Approver: This field designates the user receiving approval requests instead of the primary approver for a limited time. Delegation End: Specifies the date after which delegated approvers no longer receive requests.Delegation Start: Specifies the date from which delegated approvers start receiving requests.Group ID: If the approver represents a group, this field references the Group record’s ID.Unanimous: Indicates that approval from all group members is required for the request to be considered approved.User: If the approver is an individual user, this field references the User record. Approval Rules Approval rules dictate which users or groups receive approval requests and the email templates used for notifications upon approval or rejection. When a sales rep submits a record for approval, Salesforce CPQ evaluates all active approval rules associated with that record’s object. If the approval conditions are met, the corresponding rule triggers, and Salesforce CPQ sends an approval request email to the designated approver(s) as defined in the rule. Each approval rule can optionally include lookups to request templates, approval templates, and rejection templates, allowing for customized email notifications based on specific conditions. Interested in creating automated approvals or approver groups in your Salesforce org? Contact Tectonic today. Like1 Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

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April 17, 2024in Marketing Automation, Salesforce, Salesforce CPQ, Salesforce Development Services
Sales Cloud Einstein
16Apr

Manage Sales Cloud Users Access to Einstein Features

In order to Manage Sales Cloud Users Access to Einstein Features, follow these steps. Duplicate the Sales Cloud Einstein For Everyone permission set, activate the permission, and allocate it to users. Navigate to Setup and enter “Permission Sets” in the Quick Find. Then, choose Permission Sets. Locate and click on the Sales Cloud Einstein For Everyone permission set. Click on “Manage Assignments.” Sales Cloud Einstein Features Einstein performs the tasks of cleansing, unifying, and updating activity data across Salesforce, email, and the calendar. This functionality enables Einstein to automatically search for contacts and opportunities by analyzing information related to emails and events. What’s covered in Sales Cloud Einstein? Sales Cloud Einstein functions as an in-house data science department, learning from your sales team‘s activities and CRM data. It assists in identifying top leads, streamlining opportunity conversions, and facilitating customer retention. Sales Cloud Einstein also encompasses the Sales Analytics app and Inbox. How can users be added to Einstein Activity Capture? In Setup, search for “Permission Sets” in the Quick Find. Then, select Permission Sets. Click on the Standard Einstein Activity Capture permission set. Use “Manage Assignments” to assign the permission set to a maximum of 100 users. What advantages does Einstein Sales Cloud offer? In Sales Cloud, Einstein AI optimizes daily business processes, leading to significant profit rate increases by understanding both current and potential customers. Salesforce provides valuable data sources for Einstein, including access to emails, calendars, tweets, and, importantly, customer data. How do I deactivate Einstein Activity Capture for a user? Utilize the Quick Find search bar on the left-hand side and search for “Einstein Activity Capture.” Under the Einstein Activity Capture section in the search results, select “Settings.” Turn off the Einstein Activity Capture settings and press Save to confirm the change. Is Sales Cloud Einstein a part of Sales Cloud? Salesforce Einstein is the world’s first “generative AI” designed for CRM. It seamlessly integrates into various Salesforce products within the Customer 360 portfolio, including Marketing Cloud and Sales Cloud. Like1 Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

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April 16, 2024in Einstein Insights, Salesforce Einstein, Salesforce Sales Cloud
Salesforce in a Mega-Data Deal with Informatica
15Apr

Salesforce in a Mega-Data Deal with Informatica

Since Salesforce announced its acquisition of Slack for $27.7B in late 2020, the cloud software mega-giant has paused its acquisition strategy due to factors like rising interest rates, declining revenues, and a laser focus on profitability. However, recent leaks from The Wall Street Journal and other news publications suggest that Salesforce in a Mega-Data Deal with Informatica, is in advanced talks to acquire Informatica in a deal worth over $11B. Informatica is a significant player in enterprise data management, boasting revenues of over $1.51B and a workforce of over 5,000 employees. They specialize in AI-powered cloud data management, assisting companies in processing and managing large volumes of data from various sources to derive actionable and real-time insights. Salesforce in a Mega-Data Deal with Informatica The synergies between Informatica and Salesforce are many, with both companies focusing on consolidating data from multiple sources to provide comprehensive business insights. This aligns well with Salesforce’s strategic shift towards AI-driven data processing and analysis, aiming to enhance generative and predictive capabilities. While Salesforce’s previous acquisition of MuleSoft in 2018 for $6.5B has proven successful in facilitating API connectivity for real-time integrations, Informatica brings expertise in ETL (Extract-Transform-Load), data quality, and data movement to and from platforms like Snowflake and Databricks. This potential mega-data deal underscores the growing importance of data in the tech industry, especially with the emergence of generative AI and large language models (LLMs) that enable deeper analysis of vast datasets. Salesforce’s recent rebranding of its platform to “Einstein 1” underscores the convergence of AI and data within its product suite. The company’s emphasis on “AI + Data + CRM” reflects its commitment to leveraging data analytics for CRM enhancement, exemplified by the growth of its Data Cloud product. Partnering with industry leaders like Snowflake, Databricks, AWS, and Google, Salesforce aims to offer comprehensive data solutions that integrate seamlessly with existing systems. Informatica’s capabilities in ETL and Master Data Management (MDM) align with this vision, particularly in streamlining data integration and ensuring data quality across disparate systems. In final thoughts, while the Informatica acquisition is still pending finalization, it represents a strategic move by Salesforce to strengthen its position in the AI and data-driven CRM market. As Salesforce continues to evolve its product ecosystem, this acquisition signals its commitment to innovation and leadership in the era of AI-powered data analytics. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Salesforce Enhances Service Cloud with AI-Driven Intelligence Engine Data science and analytics are rapidly becoming standard features in enterprise applications, Read more

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April 15, 2024in Generative AI, Mulesoft, Salesforce, Snowflake

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